Keeper Question (Football)

[Roast]

So I'm joining a league with a group of friends and taking over someone else's team who is no longer in the league. It's a 12 team league and you get 3 keepers from year to year. The team I was handed was (outside of Peyton) pretty mediocre. Here's the team from last year:

 

QB - Peyton Manning

RB - Knowshon Moreno

RB - Darren Sproles

R/W - Anquan Boldin

WR - Johnny Knox

WR - Steve Smith (NYG)

TE - Visanthe Shiancoe

D - Chicago

K - Shayne Graham

 

BN - Lee Evans

BN - Austin Collie

BN - Clinton Portis

BN - Tory Holt

BN - Dan Carpenter

 

I figure I'll be keeping Manning and Shiancoe. Especially since most of the other TE's above him in fantasy points last year appear to be listed as keepers by other teams. Assuming Favre comes back Shiancoe should have another pretty good season.

 

So that leaves one more keeper spot and...I have no idea who to give it to. You could make an argument for a few different guys but each of them also have a fairly significant downside. Collie (4th string WR), Evans (Crappy QB), Portis (Injury last year, getting old), Smith (Not much of a deep threat), Boldin (may or may not be a top receiver on a running team).

 

So what do you guys think?

 

 

ETA: Forgot to add Moreno onto that list. I also worry about how many carries they'll actually give him.

[dew1679666265]

I'd probably go Boldin. The Ravens have been talking about opening up the offense some, but haven't had the weapons for Flacco. Now, Ozzie Newsome has gotten him some weapons, so I'll bet they pass it more.

 

If not Boldin, then I'd think about Knowshon. With Orton and Tebow at QB, they'll likely run it more. Especially without a proven great WR like Brandon Marshall.

[Roast]

I'd probably go Boldin. The Ravens have been talking about opening up the offense some, but haven't had the weapons for Flacco. Now, Ozzie Newsome has gotten him some weapons, so I'll bet they pass it more.

 

If not Boldin, then I'd think about Knowshon. With Orton and Tebow at QB, they'll likely run it more. Especially without a proven great WR like Brandon Marshall.

 

That's kinda what I'm thinking as well with the orton/tebow thing. I like Boldin, but there's nothing to say that Mason still wont take a bunch of opportunities away from him. And this is all assuming that they "open up" the offense a bit.

 

Knowshon worries me too, though. I still dont trust him to get enough touches to consistently go over 100 in a game and now that they have Tebow I wouldn't be shocked if they tried using him in goal line situations - taking even more TD opportunities away from Knowshon.

 

All that said, the fantasy magazines I was checking out today all had Knowshon ranked really highly among offensive players, so who knows.

Edited August 1, 2010 by Roast

[rawaction]

I'd keep Moreno. If it's a PPR league, even more reason to keep Knowshon. He had more than twice as many carries as Buckhalter last year and only caught 3 fewer passes (28). Last year, Moreno had Lamont Jordan and Peyton Hillis threatening to take carries. This year, Buckhalter is 31, and guys like Kolby Smith, Bruce Hall, Lance Ball, and Toney Baker are his competition (yeah, I never heard of them either).

 

Knowshon did get 247 carries last year, but that number could go up, as he only started 9 games last year. He should also catch more passes with the Broncos likely using their RBs more after losing Marshall's 100+ catches, and their #1 TE.

[Roast]

I'd keep Moreno. If it's a PPR league, even more reason to keep Knowshon. He had more than twice as many carries as Buckhalter last year and only caught 3 fewer passes (28). Last year, Moreno had Lamont Jordan and Peyton Hillis threatening to take carries. This year, Buckhalter is 31, and guys like Kolby Smith, Bruce Hall, Lance Ball, and Toney Baker are his competition (yeah, I never heard of them either).

 

Knowshon did get 247 carries last year, but that number could go up, as he only started 9 games last year. He should also catch more passes with the Broncos likely using their RBs more after losing Marshall's 100+ catches, and their #1 TE.

That last point is probably true. Of course, it'll also probably close up some running lanes with opposing teams being less worried about their passing game.

 

All that said, though, I'm still leaning towards Moreno. The more I think about it the less I expect much out of Boldin. Plus, I'd rather already have a RB in my pocket going into the draft.

 

Thanks for the help, guys.

[rawaction]

FYI, Moreno was carted off the field today with a hamstring injury.

[Roast]

FYI, Moreno was carted off the field today with a hamstring injury.

MOTHER.......

 

So, I went into the draft unaware of this and went ahead and used him as my keeper. Anyway, this is how the draft turned out:

 

QB: Peyton Manning

RB: Knowshon Moreno

RB: Brandon Jacobs

W/R: Clinton Portis

WR: Reggie Wayne

WR: Dwayne Bowe

TE: Visanthe Shiancoe

K: Stephen Gostkowski

DEF/ST: Philadelphia Eagles

 

BN: Ben Rothlisberger PIT QB

BN: Mike Wallace PIT WR

BN: Kellen Winslow TB TE (This was a mistake pick. I picked him unaware that he had the same bye week as Shiancoe)

BN: Darren McFadden OAK RB

BN: Tennessee Titans DEF/ST

BN: Jeremy Shockey NO TE

 

Overall I'm not too disappointed in my team, but I'm not thrilled with it either. I hate my running backs, especially now that Moreno may be out for some period of time. Everything else is passable, though, as far as I'm concerned.

[rawaction]

That's not a horrible team. Especially if it's not PPR. Got a top 3 player at QB, WR, and K. I think Shiancoe is a top 5 TE if Favre is back. I also like your bench and McFadden could surprise this year.

 

I don't like Portis, though as he is in a RB by committee situation and coming off of an injury plagued season. Maybe when Big Ben comes back and plays well, you can package him and Wallace for a RB and pickup a backup WR on the waiver wire for one of your TEs.

[SouthSideRyan]

It's too late now, but I can't see the logice in keeping Shiancoe

[Roast]

It's too late now, but I can't see the logice in keeping Shiancoe

IF Favre comes back he will have been probably the best TE available (after everyone had their keepers) and my team was so weak to begin with it wasn't that big of a deal.

 

To Raw's comment though; I'm not a big fan of Portis either, he's likely not going to be one of my starters unless he's up against a team with a weak run defense. But, I'm really happy with my pick of Rothlisberger in the late rounds, especially if he comes back early. That could be a great trade piece for someone with a weak QB. (I think one guy in my league may have actually had Favre as his starter. If he doesnt come back, that could be a great opportunity for me)

[rawaction]

Not on topic completely, but I didn't feel like starting a new one....

 

But I REALLY REALLY love keeper leagues w/ my co-workers. My point of advice if you are in a football keeper league, is pay attention to your fellow managers. I can pretty much plan my football draft this year, not because I know who everyone is going to pick....but because I know who certain players WON'T pick. Watch who gets burned by a high pick. Know who each manager hates and will not draft for stupid personal reasons.

 

I know that I can pick Jay Cutler in the 8th or 9th round, because everyone in my league will stay away from him. And w/ 4 QB keepers, there will be reaches for QBs after Brees and Rodgers go (best 2 QBs on the board). I know that the other league managers buy into hype and will overdraft guys who were projected to be sharing touches at this point last year just because they are projected to be "the man" this year. You fit this description if you drafted TJ Houshmanzadeh or Matt Cassel last year or plan to draft Boldin or LeShon McCoy in the top 15 at their position.